That barbell looks good on you!

Hey everyone!

I'm so excited this week! Travis (my wicked hot physical therapist who I kinda have a crush on) gave me the okay to use a 15lb barbell at crossfit! WOOT!! I haven't been this excited about working out in a LONG time! He probably got tired of me asking him every single time I saw him, when I might be able to get back on the bar...LOL.

I was really sore this past week- mostly from the BareCove Box Battle. Luckily, Mike programmed a light, active recovery row day for us on Monday. It felt good to be able to row with two hands too! I also took a few days off last week- more than I have in a while. I can't believe how guilty I feel when I don't go to class. I feel like I've committed a crime when I don't go to class. I guess that's the accountability that they want! haha. Anyhow, this week, I'm planning on getting back on my regular schedule- I feel less sore when I actually workout (weird, I know).

Last week (during the box battle) and this past week, box jumps have reemerged into my life. I can't even explain to you the fear that I have when I even read that box jumps are programmed into the wod. I just can't even think of getting back on that box. The week of the box battle, we had box jumps during our wod. I asked Mike what he wanted me to do- i.e. step up on a small box, plate jump, etc. He just looked at me and said "Oh you're stepping up on the box." I legit started crying. I wasn't sure why- I just broke down crying. I tried to hold it in, but I couldn't. I was physically frightened. My partner for the wod was Sarah. Sarah is the most awesome person. She has so much energy- I have no idea where she gets it, but she has it! She just passed her Crossfit Level 1 certification, so she's legit. She also teaches her own sort of boot-camp class to mom's! She's just awesome. Anyhow, she kept telling me that it was just a stupid box, and that I could do it. Even with everyone in my corner, I just couldn't get over the fact that I might fall off of that, and re-injure myself. I know it's possible that I could injure myself doing pretty much anything at the box, but anything requiring that box absolutely freaks me out. I was an emotional mess during that wod- I just stepped up onto a small box- and tried to see through the tears in my eyes. I felt absolutely defeated. Mike kept telling me that I just have a taste aversion to box jumps, but I feel like it's something more than that. I should not be physically frightened by a wooden box!!! Anyway, the next day, I let my partner for the competition, Chris know what was going on with the box. He set me up by the rig, and told me to use it as a railing- just make pretend the box was a really big step, and the rig was the railing. A few of the girls from my class were still there, so they were trying to help me out. I could get up on the box no problem using the "railing." I knew it wouldn't be allowed during the competition, so Chris and I decided that he would do the burpee box jump overs. That's a whole other story- but I know that I'm going to have to face that box again. I have to get back on to it- I don't know why I can't just step up on it like everyone else does. It makes me so upset.

Alex, another friend of mine from class told me that a box is nothing to get upset about. I guess I just have to keep reminding myself of that. Speaking of Alex- he is hilarious. And extremely motivating. He usually is hanging out at the gym a lot- so he's sometimes there when I'm at class. He always makes a point to come over and cheer me on- and keep me going. I'm not sure if he knows how much that means to me, but it's a lot. I say it every time, but people like Alex, Sarah, Mike, & pretty much everyone at my box are the epitome of crossfit. It's the reason that I'm still there- the reason that I show up- the reason that I feel guilty when I don't go to class. I think I've said it before, but I've never had "guy" friends, so having Alex is great- he makes me laugh, and I can talk to him about stuff  if I need to- We can bounce ideas and recipes off of each other, etc. I'm so grateful that he came into my life. Alex, if you're reading this- You are my favorite- Anything you need- you go it! I love ya!

So my favorite wod from this week was most definitely the "Fight Gone Bad!" It sounds terrible, but it's a crossfit benchmark workout! I wish I could have done it RX, but I was glad to just be able to use a barbell! Here's what it consisted of:

“Fight Gone Bad”

3 Round AMRAP – 1 min Stations:

Wall Ball (20/14)

SDHP (75/55)

Box Jump (20″)

Push Press (75/55)

Row (calories)

Rest

Since I still can't catch a wall ball, I had to do thrusters with the 15lb bar. I forgot how much I effing hate those. SDHP, or Sumo deadlift high pull is this: http://youtu.be/CfyB8jAZTyw.

Instead of a the bar, I did it one armed, with a 26lb kettlebell. I used a small box to step up for box jumps, and the 15lb bar for the push press. So how it works is you spend one minute at each station- accumulate as many reps as possible at each station. There is no transition time in between each station- so you really have to bust a move. Luckily, I had my partner, Melissa counting the number of reps for me! I ended up with a total of 253 reps- scaled. I can't wait to do that one again, and be able to do it RX. I know I will kill it once it comes around again. 

So for now, I'll ice my wrist, refresh my computer until the wod is posted, and try and get some sleep. I'll get back on that box- and when I do, I won't be scared. It's going to take time, but it will happen. Have a great week everyone! <3

-A 

Here's a pic of Dan Bailey, just because he's handsome. 

And one of Rich Froning, because he's my favorite, and also an incredible athlete. One day I'll meet him and Dan...one day! 

Murph & my first ever competition!

Hey everyone!

This week has been so crazy! I'm amazed that I'm still walking! It seemed like so long ago, but Memorial Day was an awesome experience at RCFBC. We celebrated Memorial day by completing a "hero" Wod. Hero wods are named after fallen soldiers, firefighters, or police officers- they tend to be more mentally & physically tough. They make you push your limits. I've done some research, and on Memorial day most crossfit boxes complete the hero wod "Murph." This wod is named in honor of Operation Red Wings hero Lieutenant (SEAL) Michael Patrick Murphy, and consists of the following:

Run 1 mile

100 Pullups

200 Push Ups

300 Squats

Run 1 mile

Wow. It was so tough. It was hot out, and I hate running. But, if you know me, you know that I'm all about our service men & women, so if they can serve overseas, then I can complete this workout. Since I'm still wearing the brace & am not back at full wrist capacity, I had to do some scaling. Instead of the pullups, I used my fancy pulley system that Mike made for me. For the pushups, I used an 18lb KB & did strict presses- and then the squats. There was a 60 minute time cap. One hour- it seemed like a long time to be doing work- but once we got going, it was fine. We started out the day with the National Anthem out in the parking lot with the American flag hanging proudly from the Froio's car! It was awesome. Once that was done- we were off. 8 laps around the building. 8 laps. Around lap 2 I felt like I was going to die. I just kept thinking that this was just the beginning. I still had all that other stuff to do once I finished the 8 laps. I couldn't get overwhelmed. People were passing me left and right, and I did start power walking after lap 2, but I finished that mile. I knew how I was going to break up the rest of the work- by 20's. As soon as I finished 20 reps of any movement, I crossed it off my white board. The movements that got me were my strict presses and the squats. An 18lb KB gets heavy real fast. I also wasn't getting below parallel with my squats- Mike caught me a few times, but at that rate, I would be glad to just get through the entire 300! While I was on the last of my squats, one of my friend's from CF, Alex came over to motivate me and keep me going. This guy is so intense. He is the most hilarious person I have ever met, and one of the best motivators as well. He helped me get through those last few squats, and then said he was running the last mile with me. Mind you, he already finished his workout- the whole thing- and he was going to run one more mile with me. He's crazy. I tried to talk him out of it, but he wasn't having it. When I wanted to give up- he wouldn't let me. When we got around to the second lap, we picked up a few more shirtless and very handsome male runners who were joining me for the last mile. My wolf pack of hot men. They stayed with me the whole time- ran when I could run- walked when I had to- made me laugh- and kept my head in the game. I cannot thank those guys enough- I wouldn't have finished, if it wasn't for them. I ended up completing the entire workout out in 60 minutes, 40 seconds. Once I was done- I gave a few high fives & immediately went to throw up. While in the stall, I could hear that someone else was having the same Murph reaction that I was having. We came out at the same time- it was Al. She's freakin' awesome. I lover her. She makes me laugh every class & I see a lot of myself in her. We just stood at the sink casually rinsing our mouths with listerine. This is a moment I'll forever remember. We did- we finished. And this was only Monday!!!! I'm so proud of everyone who did this workout, and I am proud of myself for actually showing up and completing this also. 

I'll save you the box jump drama from the middle of the week for another time- but it was not good- I'm still deathly afraid of that box, but I'll get back on it soon. 

Yesterday (Saturday) I competed in our gym's first ever internal competition- The BareCove Box Battle. It was absolutely AMAZING. I loved every moment of yesterday. I wish our gym had that competitive feel more often. This competition was legit. We had judges & a leaderboard- it was awesome. I can't believe the amount of planning and organization that went into this battle. I am in awe at the amount of work Mike put into this- while still conducting normal box activity for the week. He is a superstar. So for the battle- athlete check-in was at 8am. Of course I was running late- story of my life, but I got there on time! We did some warming up & you could just feel this nervous energy in the air- it was awesome. My partner for the competition was Chris. He's the other owner of the gym. He's absolutely hysterical. I couldn't have asked for a better teammate. He yelled at me just enough to keep me motivated, but not scared of him. haha. He did most of the work for our team during one wod in particular, and I can't thank him enough. We worked as a team- we communicated as a team- and he even wore my Batman headband when I asked him to! We completed a total of 8 workouts yesterday. To say I'm sore is an understatement. But I've never had so much fun in my life. It's weird that my idea of fun has now shifted to crossfit related activities. I saw so many people do things they didn't think they could do, people battle through injuries, & at the end everyone was still smiling. That's the true spirit of crossfit- get through the toughest workouts- cheer your peers on, and celebrate at the end. And boy did we celebrate! The beer & wine were flowing! Paleo life went out the window yesterday- we definitely earned it. I could go on and on about the actual wods that we did, but it was just too many. Our team- The Justice League came in 9th overall out of 24 teams. I can't believe it- Top 10. I am still in shock. Everything about yesterday was so awesome. My parents even came to watch part of it- which really surprised me. My dad isn't the kind of guy to go to these things. I asked him what he thought when I got home, and all he said was "that's pretty intense-those movements that you do." He was so impressed with the ladies being able to clean any weight. It meant so much for both of them to stop by & actually take an interest in what I'm doing. I hope that Mike makes this an annual competition. That would be awesome. I'm hoping for the next competition, my wrist will be in full effect. It's getting there! 

I just want to stop and give a huge thank you to Mike, Lauren, Chris, Sharon, Harrison, & everyone at RCFBC for planning this event. Mostly to Mike- you are amazing- I'm convinced you don't sleep & constantly have crossfit on your brain. I don't know how you planned all of this & still kept our regular classes going without a hitch. I just don't know how you do it. Lauren, Sharon, Harrison, & Chris- your motivation and smiling faces during the competition kept me going. You guys are so awesome. 

I am so blessed and proud to call Reebok Crossfit Bare Cove my home box.  The love and respect I have for the staff and athletes a like is completely immeasurable. I love each and everyone of you more than you'll ever know. My life is forever changed & it's because of my box and the wonderful people in it. The box battle was the first of many competitions I hope to be a part of. I can't wait for the next one. It's so weird to hear myself say things like that- I can't believe I'm looking forward to another fitness competition! Crazy! 

So for now- I'll wait for the advil to kick in, and get after it tomorrow. 

Love you all more than you'll ever know!

-A 

My outfit for the day- closest I'll get to six pack abs I think! haha

Some of the amazing female athletes of RCFBC! Love them to pieces! 

My completely amazing teammate for the competition! Thank you Chris for pushing me when I needed it. <3

And the cast is off! WOOT!

Hi everyone!

I hope you're enjoying this lovely rain filled, freezing, Memorial Day weekend! I know I am! Tomorrow actually looks like it's going to be really nice out!
So awesome stuff happened this week- I finally got my cast off!! I've never felt so liberated in my life! haha. The best part is being able to take a shower sans plastic bag & being able to put my own hair up in a pony tail! Now that I think about it, time actually flew by with the cast on- It was over before I knew it. I complained a lot during that time- and I'm sorry for that- but it really sucked. haha.
My doctor said that as far as he could tell, the wrist is all healed. I have to wear a brace for a while since it's still weak. I'm going for a physical therapy consult on Tuesday, and hopefully they'll let me know when I can get back to my normal CF routine!
It's been so weird not having the cast on- I'm still doing stuff as if it were on- like writing. I've never been a righty, but for some reason, it feels better to write with my right hand now! My hand-writing is terrible, but it works. I'm obviously still using my beloved ketlle-bell to workout. It's going to be a while before I get back on the bar. However, this past week, one of our WODs consisted of split jerks. We were only practicing with the bars, so I figured I would give it a shot. I took the lightest bar- 15lbs to see if I was able to use it. My grip was horrible- because I had the brace on. It was like a bird claw, crazy grip. Not anything that Mike would approve of, but I was just trying it out! He told me not to add any weight to it, but of course I didn't listen. I added on a 5lb plate to each side and tried it out. Things got a little spicy, so I shut it down and took the extra weight off. I didn't want to cause any more damage. I went back to my trusty kettle-bell.

Sometimes I feel like I'll never get back to the weights that I was using for certain movements before I the break. It just seems like yesterday, that I was able to snatch, clean, and press a lot more weight than a 26lb kettle-bell. I know I have to be positive- and I know I'll get there some day, but it just seems so far away. I just have to stop feeling sorry for myself, and focus on the progress that I've made so far. The WOD that made me feel amazing this week was this gem:

WOD

 3 Rounds for time:

500m Row

15 Hand Release Push Ups

25 Kettlebell Swings (35lbs)

I've been getting pretty good at the one armed row. It takes me a lot longer than everyone else to finish (obviously), but I finish. I can't do push ups still, so instead Mike had me do a one armed bench press. I tried to do it with a 26lb KB, but after the one armed row, I could only get through one round with that weight. For the second and third rounds I switched to an 18lb KB. 

The prescribed weight for the kettle bell swings for the ladies was 35lbs. I haven't been able to do KB swings with two arms with 35lbs! I wanted to give it a try one armed, to see what happened. I kept the 26lb close just in case things got crazy. Once I got going with the workout- I was killing that 35lb KB swing. I couldn't believe it. I didn't think I'd make it through the entire 3 rounds with 35lbs, but I did. And it was a PR for my regular 2 armed swing! I definitely felt that one the day after. My shoulder was burning! It felt great to finally get a PR, since I haven't had one since the cast went on. 

This coming Saturday is RCFBC's first internal competition- The BareCove Box Battle! I was paired up with one of the other owners, Chris. He is hilarious and an awesome athlete and person. I so happy I get to be partners with him. I hope he knows what he's in for with me as a partner! I already told him that I have a costume, and I expect him to have one as well! HINT HINT- Sharon- Make sure he has one!! HAHA. 

I can't wait for this competition. I love the atmosphere in the box during competitive events. Everyone is so jazzed up- it's something that I can't explain. It's just awesome. It's going to be AMAZING!! 

OMG- I forgot to tell you guys about the Crossfit Regionals that I went to last Saturday!!!! It was literally one of the best days of my life. I have never seen so many amazing athletes in one place. These competitors make you want to work even harder. I can't imagine doing all of those workouts in one day. It was nuts. These men and women are absolute beasts. The other awesome thing was being able to see how big the crossfit community really is. People traveled from all over the Northeast to be there and support the athletes that were participating. I had the best time meeting new people, and hanging out with the people from my box. I can't wait to go back again next year. It also wasn't a bad thing that most of the guys participating and in the stands did not have shirts on! :) I took about 100 pictures of Spencer Hendel and Daniel Tyminski's butt and bare chest and arms. I'm such a creep. LOL. I know it's a long shot, but I hope that one day, I am able to participate as part of a team from my box at regionals. That is an extremely long term goal in life. Like  very long term. But it's something that I look forward to. 

But for now, I'm going to rest up. Tomorrow is Memorial Day and we are doing one of the hero wods called "Murph" which consists of the following:

Run 1 mile

100 Pullups

200 Push Ups

300 Squats

Run 1 mile

Named in honor of Operation Red Wings hero Lieutenant (SEAL) Michael Patrick Murphy, this punishing workout is often undertaken on Memorial Day...the Memorial Day Murph. WOOF. I hate running. Like a lot. 

So tomorrow, thank a veteran and/or current service member. Appreciate everything that they have done for us to ensure our safety and freedom. Enjoy the day, have fun, & be safe! 

Love you all! 

I LOVE my box!

Hi everybody!

Just a quick Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there- your children appreciate you more than you know- trust me! To my mom- thanks for being amazing, wonderful, beautiful, funny, supportive, & all around awesome. I literally would not be who I am today without you! <3

Ok, so this week has made me realize how much I truly love my box (gym) and the people in it. Not that I didn't love it before, but I've finally figured out that RCFBC is a place that I love to be. Yes, you read that right, I love to be at my gym. Even though I have a love-hate relationship with most of the programmed wods, I can honestly say I've never felt bad after finishing them....except that one where I broke my wrist- LOL. But seriously- when you are sweating profusely, and people are still giving you high fives and disgusting sweaty hugs, life is good.
Mike (my awesome, fabulous, wonderful, funny coach), who knows I LOVE Batman, made me my very own custom kettle "bat"!

He is literally the most adorable human. I've been using that KB like a champ, and even when this stupid cast comes off, I'll still have a warm place in my heart for the good ole' kettle bat!

There has been an influx of members who are only able to use one arm- due to various injuries- which has been pretty awesome for me. It means I get to not feel like the black sheep of the class...hahaha. It also means, that for partner wods, I get to have another one armed partner!! Woop! This arm ain't keeping me down! I've been able to keep up with the class, and have even graduated a tiny bit (I did 5 snatches with a 36lb kettlebell)!! That's pretty awesome!
Most of this weeks' wods were rough...ok, all of them were absolutely brutal. The one that I hated the most was this gem:

WOD

7 min. AMRAP

15 Deadlifts (225/155)

10 Burpee Box Jump Overs

5 L Sit Pull Ups

First off, I didn't even know what the heck an L-sit pull up was. If you want to know, check this out: http://vimeo.com/19084283. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? I can't even do a regular pull up with two arms, never mind this wacko L craziness. I wouldn't be doing those anyhow. When I asked Mike what he wanted me to do instead, he suddenly got this look on his face, and a little sparkle in his eyes. He ran over to the rig & got a one of the rings that we use for ring dips & muscle ups. He proceeded to make this pulley system with a kettle bell attached to it. It was amazing. And it worked so great. 

The dead-lifts were no big deal- used my old friend, the 70lb KB. Easy day. 

Now for the burpee box jump overs. My absolute worst nightmare. Burpees= the devil. Box jumps= the devil's son. Put them together- Just a hot mess. I can't do burpees or box jumps on a good day! I was hoping he was going to scale me some how so I wouldn't be doing that, but of course not. I did a one armed burpee- and I jumped onto a 45lb plate. It took me forever to get up from the burpee. The workout was only 7  minutes long, so I had to try and haul ass if I wanted to get through at least one full round. Not only did I get through one full round; I made it through the 10 burpee box jumps of the second round! I was so happy that I was able to get that much in! 

My family was going through some old photos from my Aunt's wedding  that was back in July 2010. They were on a DVD, so they were playing for the whole family to see. I couldn't even look at the pictures of myself. I was huge. Way bigger than I am now. I can't believe I let myself get like that. I thought I was looking good in that dress. I decided to make a split shot of myself then, and myself now...just to see the difference, and hope that when I looked at them together, I didn't look the same. 

I'm happy to say that I am proud of my accomplishments so far. I'm no where near where I want to be- but I'm getting there- with every wod, and every good meal choice I make. I can honestly say this is the best I've felt, mentally & physically in a very long time. So for now, I'll keep pressing on- killing wods- and getting closer to my goal every day. 

Love you all more than you'll ever know! <3

We aren't what we say, we are what we do...

Hey Everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! I'm getting used to this one armed living, finally! From my previous posts, you can tell I was feeling sorry for myself, but I decided that there is nothing I can do & I just have to make do with what I have. I hate having to ask for help with things, but whatever- it'll be over soon!
I went to the doctor last week, & he said I have to go back in 3 weeks, & then he'll decide if I'm healed enough to take the cast off & switch to a splint. All I want is to be able to take a shower without a plastic bag, and put my hair in a pony tail!! Soon enough!

I've had some other eye opening experiences this week, but one  that really stuck was the fact that I had been talking to this guy for a few weeks. I'm interested in him & I thought that he had some interest in me, but after 2 weeks of no communication from him, I'm going to take the hint that  things aren't going anywhere with that. Normally, I would buy some junk food, lock myself in my room, turn on some John Mayer, cry, & eat until I felt horrible about myself. This time, I don't care. I mean, I care, but if he isn't interested, then it's his loss. I know I'm an awesome person, & any guy would be lucky to have someone like me by their side. I'm just going to keep working on me, & let the chips fall where they may!

This was my first full week back at Reebok Crossfit Bare Cove. I was so happy to get back into my old routine. I was actually scared of the repercussions if I didn't go back! Mike texted me last week & basically said that he would come and find me if he didn't see me more in class! I truly believe he would-& I can't even tell you how much I appreciate him being on me about getting to class & emptying the tank while I'm there. I was thinking back to when I first started CF, and how scared I was. Mike is why I stayed. If you live in the south shore area, & you're scared to join- please take it from me-you won't regret it. Mike & all of our members make our box my new favorite place to be. I never knew I'd feel so guilty for not going,or so excited to see my new friends at the gym. It's so crazy how things have changed for me in such a short amount of time. Everyone keeps asking me if I'm still going to the box while I have my cast. When I say yes- they say something along the lines of "you're crazy!" Why wouldn't I go? Mike is working so hard to scale all my movements, and it's not like my legs don't work! I say it every time I post a blog, but I absolutely love him-he's the best coach I could ever ask for- I am eternally grateful for everything he has done & said to keep me going even when I want to quit. That's what I think makes him so awesome- he's on my side & I feel like he's truly there for me. Enough sappy stuff for now- just want to let him know that he's the best and he better not leave, because I'll cry forever. lol..but seriously...

Since the weather has finally started to get better, we've been doing a lot of Wods that incorporate running outside. We have a 200m course set up around the perimeter of our building. 200m doesn't sound like a lot, but I can't run. Seriously  I don't know if it's my lung capacity, but I have such a hard time running. One of this weeks' wods was:

WOD

I. EMOTM for 7 minutes

3 Power Cleans (light!) - Focus on form

II. 4 Rounds:

400m Run

7 -Deadlifts

I've sort of mastered the art of the one armed kettle bell power clean, so I know that wouldn't be an issue. 

Deadlifts are my favorite- I actually did my one armed deadlifts with a 70lb KB- so awesome! I felt like I could've actually gone heavier, but that's as big as we had in the gym! The thing that got me was the 400m run- around the building twice. From the get go I knew I would be the last to finish- because I knew I would most likely be walking for most of the wod. People were lapping me left and right, but as they went by, they didn't hesitate to say "great job" "you're doing awesome" etc. If that doesn't keep you going, I don't know what will. On my last leg of the run, my very first crossfit friend, Amy & her friend Marvin (whom I've never met before today) decided that  they would run with me. Amy had already done the wod at 5:30am & just finished her second wod of the day, and she was willing to run another lap with me? How awesome is that. We started out jogging for literally 10 seconds, then I had to walk- we all walked a bit & then Amy said ok- let's run when we get to that cone to the next cone, etc. It made the run seem less daunting having her and Marvin there, going my pace & keeping me motivated  Once we made it back, I still had 7 deadlifts to do. Everyone from our class was there in a circle cheering me on to finish. I busted through those so fast. That's what crossfit is all about- cheering on everyone until the last person is done. I failed to mention that I went to the    6:30 class instead of my normal 5:30 class. I didn't really know some of the people there, and even then, they still cheered me on.  I am so proud and blessed to be a part of such an excellent community. 

I can't believe it's already Monday again tomorrow, but after a full Sunday of meal prep, I'm ready to get back on my paleo saddle & keep myself moving forward. Thanks again for everyone's continued support- you guys are the greatest! <3

UGH....just ugh.

Hey everyone!

Hope you're all doing well! I've been feeling helpless the past few days. If you're unaware (I'm not quite sure how you could be at this point-lol) but, I broke my wrist last week. And it sucks. I really can't do much. I have to rely on people just to get my basic needs met (shower, hair,etc.). I hate having to ask for help with everything...EVERYTHING. UGH! As a result of said injury, I can't really cook much, because I can't chop anything, & it blows. As a result, my paleo life has been suffering. It freaks me out that my old habits could come back so quickly. It was like I had never even started paleo. But I'm happy to say that I'm back on the wagon. I'm not going back to where I was- ever. I've worked too hard to get here.
 Sorry to sound like a Debbie Downer, but this really effing sucks. I have no idea how para or quadriplegics do it. I'm not sure it's possible, but I have even more respect for them than I already do! I know I should be grateful that I only broke it, & it will heal, but right now I can't help but feel sorry for myself.

I  only went to crossfit twice last week.  I felt so terrible about myself. It was almost like I was having withdrawals. But I was feeling like a nuisance in class, since I need to have legit everything scaled, & I still didn't have a hard cast on, so I took some time off. All I've been hearing from my mom is "you should just walk or do the elliptical & eat less." I love my mom, & I wouldn't be anything without her, but if I hear this one more time, I'm going to off myself. I know she wants me to be safe, but she's not understanding that Mike is working hard to make sure the WODs are scaled appropriately for me. When showing me how to do certain movements, he even makes pretend he has a sling on! I could not love him more- seriously- I know I say it every time  but he's the best! Eventually, my mom will come around, but for now I'll just have to keep her out of my head, & continue on my journey.

I just got my hard cast on today- so I'm hoping things will get better, but I don't know. The doctor read my CT scan from Friday, & let me know that I actually broke my radius in 14 places! And I also may have a torn ligament in the wrist. Awesome news for a Monday. So, I'm in the cast for 6-8 weeks, & I'll most likely have to do physical therapy after- Which I don't care about b/c I had physical therapy on my back last year, & the therapist was so hot! LOL. Ohh Travis- he was awesome- sort of looking forward to seeing him!

I'm finally going back to work tomorrow. Dare I say I'm glad to be going back to my normal routine? Maybe I should ask myself how I feel after tomorrow...off to bed now- leaving my negative thoughts behind, & focusing on how far I've come. This is just a temporary setback, & I'll get through this. Thanks to everyone who has/is encouraging me to keep gettin' after it...Love you all! <3

Effin' box jumps...

Hey everyone!

So as most of you know, I fractured my radius on Friday at CF- I apologize in advance for any typographical errors, as I only am typing with one hand. LOL
Anyone who knows me, knows that I fall a lot. Like all of the time. However, I have never sustained an actual injury- just a broken ego. If you have been following me on my journey, you know I had a recent battle with box jumps during the open workouts. I couldn't step up onto the 20in box. I overcame that obstacle & felt like a million bucks. So I thought for this wod, I would try doing an actual jump on to the small box- I think it's like 9-10in high. Mike was there, so I knew I would be okay. Here's the wod:

12 min. AMRAP

7 Squat Cleans (135/95)

12 Box Jumps

then…

500m Row as fast as possible

Easy enough, I thought. I couldn't do the squat cleans at 95lbs, but I could do 55lbs. So I set my station up with my barbell & small box. We didn't even start yet, and I was already freaking out over the box jumps. I'm certain Mike saw it in my eyes, because he instantly went over and got a 45lb plate for me to jump on- & kept adding weights until I felt comfortable. I finally decided to give the box a try. I didn't get on there fully- but both of my feet were on there at the same time-even if it was for a split second. So it was 3,2,1, go & I was off. I busted through the squat cleans, no problem. Then I moved to the box. Mike was standing right next to me. He kept pushing me to keep going- not to think about them-just keep moving. I needed that. Most of the time, I am my own worst enemy. I think I can't do something, so I instantly give up. Having him there- telling me to keep going was exactly what I needed. He kept saying, I don't care if you fail every time, you are gonna keep trying until you get it. It felt like I did a million of those stupid box jumps- I had lost count. Finally, I had got through the first set- after like 20 attempts. I busted through the second set of squat cleans & was back at the box. Mike was back. I feel like I'm always monopolizing him during class. Luckily, he was secondary coach, so I could steal him & not feel bad! I was struggling through them, but he was there & I knew I could do it. Until I fell. My station was setup close to the pull-up rig, FYI. I made it on the box, I actually fell while stepping off. I fell backwards- barely missing my head. I think I tried to break my fall by sticking my arm out. That was not a good idea. I knew that something was wrong when I looked at my arm & instantly started crying. It was not in its normal position. I was too shaken up to get off of the floor, so I was just sitting there, holding my arm, crying hysterically, while the rest of the class finished their workout & the next class was waiting (& presumably staring at me). Mike was trying to get me to sit up, but it wasn't happening. Chris went over to the very convenient liquor store that just opened next door, & got me some ice. Finally, I got up. I took my big bag of ice, mascara stained face, & broken ego to the conference room. 

I was more upset & embarrassed that I fell, than of my actual injury.Yeah it sucked that I got hurt, but I would get over it. I would not get over the fact that a gym full of people, & specifically two very handsome gentlemen saw me go down...not so gracefully. While I tried to calm down, Mike was so great- he sat & talked with me & gave me chocolate for at least an hour. I could not ask for a better coach. Seriously, what gym can you go to & get chocolate & a built in therapy session? I love it there. While I was feeling sorry for myself, Mike told me to write down a list of accomplishments I've made since starting CF in January. I can't write because my gimp hand is actually my writing hand- FAIL!! So once I find a scribe, I'll work on that list, but for now I can add those box jumps to my list of PRs. When I started, I couldn't even get my toes off the ground. So even though I have to be in a cast for 6-8 weeks, and all of my wods are going to have to be scaled, at least I know I gave it my all & didn't give up. You know what? Eff that box. I will get back on there, & even if I fall again, I still tried. 

This injury isn't gonna hold me back. Once I get my permanent cast on next week, you better believe I'll be back in the box scaling & getting after it. Nothing is going to stop me. It's going to be extremely difficult to do anything with this stupid cast, but I know I can get through this. It's just a  minor setback. 

To everyone who helped me/ will help me-thank you. You don't know how far a positive comment can go.

I'm sure other important stuff happened this week, but it took me about 2 hours to type this, so it'll have to wait until I'm back in action! Love you all!!  

-A